The best routes for hiking in the Canary Islands

If you love hiking, the Canary Islands are ideal for moderate to active sport. Through-out its territory, the islands provide many different routes where hiking enthusiasts will be able to enjoy wonderful landscapes. Let us guide you through this adventure and allow us to show you unique paths surrounded by nature. Are you ready to discover the best excursions and guided tours in the Canary Islands?

The best routes for excursions in Lanzarote

Without a doubt, the most interesting excursion in Lanzarote leads you to the Timanfaya National Park. This park will amaze you with its spectacular landscapes. Get ready to discover wildlife adapted to volcanic and arid lands where vegetation and water are scarce.

In this enclave you will be able to choose between several routes with different levels of difficulty, length and duration. Bear in mind, there are routes that hikers can make on their own, but others are only available on guided excursions, so make sure you check beforehand.

Nevertheless, all these excursions are truly unforgettable experiences. Choose means of transport that you prefer: on foot, by bus or even on the back of a camel! This is the case at the Echadero de los Camellos excursion, where you will be able to take a tour of the southern slope of the Timanfaya Volcano mounted on the camel!

Near the National park, located in southwest Lanzarote, you will find La Geria. It is another area of great beauty, where you will be able to take a tour through several small villages. Moreover, along these paths you will also discover the vineyard landscapes growing among ashes of volcanic lava. If you plan in advance, try to stop and visit one of thirteen wineries in the region. It is an opportunity to try some of the magnificent wines of this region.

Towards the south of the island, Los Ajaches Natural Monument has a dazzling landscape with hidden valleys and steep cliffs.  It is a great location to observe larger birds of prey. There, you will also be able to climb the summit of Naos Peak, 422 meters from sea level, from where you can take in the magnificent views.

If you continue towards Playa Blanca, in the port you can embark on a ferry trip to the island of Fuerteventura and continue with your adventure discovering the paths and treasures of the oldest of the islands.

The best routes for excursions in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is an island well-known among water sports enthusiasts due to its stunning beaches, but it’s also a great destination to enjoy hiking. If you are planning on an excursion (or a few) in this wonderful enclave, be aware that between November and April the climate is cooler and more suitable for discovering its routes. Still, do not forget your sunscreen and a hat!

Its network of trails run between semi-desert landscapes to volcanic sceneries, wonderful golden sand beaches with turquoise waters, gentle slopes or high-rise peaks and cliffs. There are plenty of options for every experience level: from not-so-easy day tours, to simple routes with children. Remember, the routes can be taken on foot or by bicycle, and some of them require good physical condition due to their length or difficulty level.

The well-known GR-131 route, is a 255 km nature trail spread over several stages that runs through Fuerteventura from north to south, including Isla de Lobos. The journey begins on this island, just 2 km from Fuerteventura, which is accessible by boat. But if you don’t want to start the route from there, you can take it directly from Corralejo (stage-2) located in Northern Fuerteventura, in the municipality of La Oliva.

Also, in Corralejo you will also be able to discover many treasures before embarking on the rest of this trip. The amazing Dunes of Corralejo, a desert of golden dunes, is worth visiting.

If you decide to continue south of the GR-131 nature trail, you will find other protected natural areas, such as the Malpaís de La Arena Natural Monument within the municipality of La Oliva and a little further northwest, the Sacred Mountain of Tindaya. Continuing towards the south you will also find other natural and interesting spaces, such as the Natural Monument of Ajuy, the Cardon Mountain in Pájara and the Natural Park of Jandía. The highest peak on the island is here, Pico de la Zarza, which is 807 meters high.

During the journey along the trail, you will marvel at the landscapes and it will be an excellent opportunity to discover the history, myths, traditions and culture of Fuerteventura.

Whether you take the return journey or if you start the journey in the south remember that in Corralejo, north of the island, you can embark on a ferry to cross into Lanzarote.

At Líneas Romero you will find the most emblematic excursions of Lanzarote.

More routes for hikers in the Canary Archipelago

All of the Canary islands have unique features for hikers to enjoy. Although they belong to the same archipelago, each island is different, with its own geography and its particular climate. On each one you will be able to find paths of different nature and several difficulty levels – from expert to be beginner hikers.

On one hand, Tenerife will offer you the most emblematic trails to Teide National Park. There are numerous guided routes where an expert guide from this Park will tell you all about the heritage of this natural space, its history, geology, flora, fauna and the landscape characteristics.

Gran Canaria will also offer you the Royal Roads some of the oldest trails, recovered recently, which were created centuries ago to connect different points of the coastline with the interior land. On these trails you will be able to enjoy wonderful views, visit charming villages and cross ravines and valleys of volcanic nature.

In La Palma you will find trails of different difficulty levels. The best known and most popular routes among hikers are Ruta de los Volcanes and Camino de los Puertos. Also, in Caldera de Taburiente National Park, you will be able to find numerous routes to travel surrounded by nature.

And last but not least, Garajonay National Park is also one of the most precious routes that La Gomera island offers, due to the beautiful forests and outstanding viewpoints where to enjoy nature.

Walking on the trails of the Canary Islands is an unforgettable activity, that will allow you to enjoy wonderful landscapes and the amazing nature force of these spectacular islands.

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